Abstract

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The bacterial flora of the vagina was assessed in healthy Nigerian women (twenty pregnant and twenty-four non-pregnant women). They all harboured many types of microorganisms in their vagina. The mean number of microbial types isolated was five for the pregnant and three for the non-pregnant women. Staphylococcus was detected in 18 of the pregnant women and 16 of the non-pregnant women. Amongst the anaerobes Peptostreptococcus was isolated in 14 of the pregnant women and 6 of the non-pregnant women. Lactobacilli in 7 and 12 respectively. Bacteroides was not isolated from the vagina of pregnant women but from 50% of the vaginal swabs obtained from the non-pregnant women.

Keywords: vagina